1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to introducing a plurality of components that are electrically connected (forming a system) into a planar carrier, e.g., a smart card. More specifically, the invention relates to a smart card containing a carrier body for receiving at least one system component having a plurality of electrical components and uniting electrical functions for operating the smart card.
The prior art discloses smart cards in which the card body (in each case) has a recess for inserting various components, e.g., a chip module, a display device and an input device. The recesses are provided with electrical terminals which meet electrical terminals of the respective component inserted into the recess. The electrical terminals of different recesses (and thus, the components) can be interconnected via conductor tracks running within the card body.
The card body is often produced from several layers applied one above the other. The conductor tracks are applied on the bottommost layer, for example, by coating and structuring. The electrical components are subsequently applied to the bottommost layer (e.g., by adhesive bonding or soldering), and are electrically connected to the conductor tracks.
Next, at least one further intermediate layer having recesses at the locations of the electrical components is applied to the bottommost layer, and is fixedly connected thereto by adhesive bonding or lamination. A whole-area covering layer (i.e., a layer without any recesses) is applied to the intermediate layer as the topmost layer. Such a structure is described, for example, in EP 0 706 152 B1.
However, one of the disadvantages of the prior art lies in the associated complicated production method (for such smart cards) with correspondingly high costs and tolerances. Furthermore, a functional test of the smart card can only be carried out after all the electrical components have been introduced into the card body. If just a single electrical component is defective, then the inherently finished smart card must be discarded (as a reject), thereby increasing the specific production costs.
EP 0 481 776 A2 discloses a contactless smart card in which the conductor tracks and all of the electrical components (e.g., chips, resistors, capacitors, and antennas) are applied on a tape automated bonding (TAB) carrier. The TAB carrier with the electrical components is encapsulated with a potting compound after a positive electrical functional test. The module surrounded with an encapsulation is inserted into a recess in a carrier body, and is mechanically connected thereto. Finally, a covering is additionally provided on the module.
However, the smart card described in EP 0 481 776 A2 and the aforementioned production method are not suitable for a smart card with contacts or a hybrid smart card, due to the components within such a smart card.
2. Summary of the Invention
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a smart card containing a carrier body for receiving at least one system component having a plurality of electrical components and uniting electrical functions for operating the smart card, that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type.
Accordingly, the smart card of the invention has contacts or a hybrid operation and has a simpler construction, which enables cost-effective manufacturing.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a smart card having a card body into which at least one system component (which has a plurality of electrical components), which unites electrical functions for operating the smart card (on itself), can be introduced. The system component terminates approximately evenly with the top side of the card body. At least one of the electrical components is accessible from the top side.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the carrier body includes at least one recess for receiving the at least one system component.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the invention provides for a system component which has no electrical connection to the carrier body of the smart card. This is made possible because the various electrical components are integrated in the system component, and are electrically connected to one another to form a system.
Of course, the system component is made larger than an individual component. In other words, instead of inserting individual components into the smart card and electrically interconnecting the individual components via conductor tracks (in the card body), a system component which is integrated together (beforehand)—and which can be electrically checked for its functionality—is inserted into the smart card.
The electrical components may include a chip module with external contacts, an antenna coil, a display device, an input device, an energy store or converter, sensors (e.g., fingerprint sensors), and so on.
Thus, the overall electrical system (containing all of the components necessary for the desired functionality) can advantageously be checked for the electrical functionality (or, can be set in terms of its electrical properties), before the system component is introduced into the carrier body of the smart card.
Accordingly (in the event of a defect of an individual component), only the system component has to be discarded as a reject. No carrier body has to be discarded as a reject, since the mechanical connection to the carrier body does not take place until after the functionality test has been passed. This makes it possible to lower the specific production costs of a smart card.
The testing of the overall electrical system, prior to incorporation into the carrier body, is of particular interest when the mechanical connection of the system component and the carrier body is effected by different companies.
The mechanical connection of the carrier body and the system component can be effected, for example, by adhesive bonding or lamination.
The system component may be prepared in such a way that the individual components, which must be operable or visible, are at the same level as the surface of the system component (within permissible height tolerances). The surface of the system component advantageously terminates at the same level as the surface of the card body (likewise, within permissible height tolerances).
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, it may be necessary to provide at least one of the electrical components with a housing, prior to incorporation in the system component.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, it may be necessary to provide at least one of the electrical components with a base, prior to incorporation in the system component.
A covering layer need no longer be provided, since the system component terminates approximately evenly with the top side of the carrier body (within the scope of the permissible tolerances). Thus, the production of the smart card can be simplified. The covering layer can also be omitted, so that the electrical components (such as a chip module, an input device and an energy converter in the form of a solar cell) are naturally accessible from the top side.
The carrier body is provided with at least one recess into which the system component can be introduced, so that the smart card has a construction that is as simple as possible. The size of the recess is adapted to the dimensions of the system component.
Ideally, only a single system component is inserted into the smart card. The electrical components of the system components can then be connected to one another. If an electrical connection of the individual electrical components is not necessary, the latter can also be disposed on several system components, and can be inserted into respective recesses of the carrier body. Alternatively, exactly one recess may be provided for each system component. However, it is also possible to insert several system components, lying directly next to one another, into a correspondingly formed recess.
The carrier body provided with the at least one recess may be formed in one piece. For example, the recess may be milled.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, as an alternative, the carrier body may include a base layer (on which the at least one system component is applied), and at least one further layer having a cutout at the locations of the electrical components of the system component. The connection between the base layer and the further layer can be effected in a conventional manner (e.g., by adhesive bonding, lamination, etc.).
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, if the electrical components are located directly next to one another (i.e., without an interspace), then the further layer is formed as a peripheral frame.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, if the electrical components of the system component are located in a spaced apart manner from one another, then there exists an interspace between them, and the interspace is closed by a gap-filler. The gap filler advantageously contains the same material as the base layer and the further layer. The gap filler may be a part of the further layer, so that the further layer has recesses at the locations of the electrical components.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the electrical components of a system component are advantageously applied on a baseplate having conductor tracks.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the conductor tracks may serve as the electrical connection for the electrical components (applied on the baseplate), and may also be a part of an antenna coil for wire-free data exchange.
As compared with conventional smart cards, it is possible in the present invention to increase the precision during the application or positioning of the conductor tracks on the baseplate, since it is possible to use the tools for the production of customary printed circuit boards. Therefore, printed circuit boards, in particular flexible printed circuit boards (e.g., containing FR4), can be appropriate as baseplates of the system component.
The requirements of an extremely exact lamination process of the conductor tracks (which are usually embodied on an inlay), and the requirements necessary in the production of the conventional smart cards, are no longer required in the carrier body of the smart card. Therefore, more contacts or smaller contact areas can be used on the base body of the system component.
Customary “printed circuit board automatic placement” machines can be used for placement of the system component. The machines are able to operate in a highly optimized manner with favorable costs.
In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the baseplate itself may have one or more recesses for receiving the semiconductor chips. This makes it possible to comply with the requirement of a plane topside of the smart card, if the electrical component would otherwise have an excessively large height.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the electrical components are located directly adjacent one another.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a smart card containing a carrier body for receiving at least one system component having a plurality of electrical components and uniting electrical functions for operating the smart card, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.